Sahara Reporters

Oba Sunday Amuseghan, the Kalasewe of Apoiland in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, has condemned the continued detention of pro-democracy activist, Omoyele Sowore, by the Department of State Services.

Amuseghan, who said the arrest of Sowore is an abuse of the right to freedom, added that Nigeria is gradually going back to the dark days when dissenting voices were silenced by the authorities for speaking the truth.

The monarch called for the immediate and unconditional release of Sowore by the government because according to him, keeping him further poses a grave danger for Nigeria’s democracy.

Amuseghan spoke to Sahara Reporters on Wednesday through his spokesperson, Eunice Dabo.

The monarch said, “This is democracy, not military regime where people are cowed and jailed over issues relating to their welfare.

“Sowore is an activist, and he was part of the struggle for this democracy. Therefore, he is entitled to express his feelings and that of Nigerians in a democratic setting.

“So, it is the right of the people to gather and demonstrate on the street provided the protest was peaceful and violent-free and it also represented the feelings of entire Nigerians.”

Speaking further, the traditional ruler said that Sowore, being a worthy son of Apoi land, could not have initiated or planned to topple President Muhammadu Buhari's government by calling for mass protest.

Sowore was arrested in the early hours of August 3, 2019 by the DSS for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets on August 5 and express their displeasure of poor governance in the country.

Despite growing calls for his release, the government has continued to hold on to him.

The Kaduna State Police Command says it has rescued three students ofAhmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria abducted on Monday alongAbuja-Kaduna highway.

Three other persons are still being held by the kidnappers.

The spokesman for the police in Kaduna, Yakubu Sabo, in a statement onWednesday said, “The command wishes to state that, on the said date,August 26, at about 18:50hrs, armed men in military uniformintercepted some commuters near Masari Village along Kaduna-AbujaExpressway, opened fire on the vehicles, in the process kidnaped sixpersons.

“However, due to the prompt response of the police and other securityagents to the scene, three people were later released by the hoodlumsdue to intensive combing within the general area.”

The police assured that efforts were being made by the joint teams ofAnti-Kidnapping Unit, PMF, and the IRT to rescue the remaining thevictims and apprehend the perpetrators.

“The command wants the public to note that, while regretting theunfortunate incident, the story being circulated on the incident is agross exaggeration and misrepresentation of fact aimed at causing morefear in the minds of the public.

“Thus, the command enjoins the general public to jettison such reportas misleading information. Consequently, the press should continue touphold the high ethical standard of their profession,” the statementadded.

Adesegun Ojo is a professor of Political Science and InternationalStudies at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, USA.Against the backdrop of the indictment of 77 Nigerians by the UnitedStates' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Ojo speaks withSAHARAREPORTERS on the impact that may have on Nigeria and itscitizens abroad

SR: What impact could the recent indictment of Nigerians by the USgovernment have on potential investors?

Ojo: In the actuality, this should have nothing to do with potentialinvestors in Nigeria. Nigeria is a country of over 200 million people.Yes, it is disappointing and embarrassing to continue to hear aboutthese kinds of stories and the notoriety of some Nigerians in thesetypes of criminal activities. Yes, we may all feel a pang of anxietyor a feeling that we may all be tainted by the actions of just a fewhundred. Yes, when you travel overseas, immigration and lawenforcement agents are on the ready when they hear that you are fromNigeria. But overall, if you have no criminal background and notengaged in any illicit activities you don’t really have to worry.

When it comes to potential investors, my fear is that the conditionsin Nigeria lend themselves to corrupt practices on the part of allparticipants sometimes. Even when foreign investors come with cleanhands and see the potential in the Nigerian economy or its people,they know that the level of corruption is high to the extent that theyare conditioned to also game the system for their benefits because ofthe lack of ethics and endemic corruptive nature of our system. Everylevel is tainted by corruption and these investors are well aware ofthis before they step onto our shores. They know what they have to doto achieve success. They know government officials who are in chargeof public trust are themselves corrupt and the population that are tobe served are neither as clean as you might expect. These criminalactivities have been going on for years but are becoming morepronounced because of social media. We now hear more about these onFacebook, Twitter and all.

And I might add that while Nigerians are in the news because of thearrests, we also have citizens of other countries carrying out illicitactivities. This is not an excuse but this is a strong signal to theNigerian leadership to address the foundation of such problems inNigeria. Our priorities must change. We cannot continue to see publicservice as a means of acquiring wealth and not expect some others notto aspire to do the same. We cannot continue to glorify ill-gottenwealth, and expect some of our citizens not to dream of and hopes toone day be celebrated with same.

SR: How does it affect the perception of Nigerians who are goingabroad for career/academic advancement?

Ojo: Of course, right from the port of departure here in Nigeria tothe point of entry abroad, there is the trepidation that you mightmeet an overzealous border agent who might be biased based on thenotoriety of the Nigerian fraudster. As I said earlier, if you arehonest and you do not engage in illegal activities, though it might bedisconcerting but you have nothing to fear at all. The past fewdecades have seen an increase in the number of Nigerians abroad intheir respective careers. There are successful Nigerians all over theworld and their host countries recognize this and Nigerians in thediaspora will continue to excel in their chosen fields of endeavours.

SR: Does this have any influence on xenophobic attacks on Nigeria.That is, will foreigners be more likely to attack Nigerians abroadbecause they feel they are fraudulent?

Ojo: In actual fact, in many of the cases of xenophobia, particularlyin many other African countries such as South Africa, it is not onlybecause of the fraudulent activities but because also, of the fearthat Nigerians are doing well and therefore taking jobs away from hostcitizens. This is a misdirected anger because their situation is aproduct of the lack of employment as well as a result of theineptitude of their leaders. Nigerians also face the same problem hereat home. Dreams have been killed because of lack of opportunities,which pushes some out of the door to seek greener pastures abroad.Nigerians are as much a victim of incompetent leadership demonstratedby a lack of vision to address the problem of basic amenities,employment, and socio-political and economic development. It justhappened that it is a case of double jeopardy for Nigerians. They ranaway from a Nigeria with lack of opportunities and also become victimsand blame for the ineptitude of many other developing nations.

SR: Is it possible that the indicted Nigerians have foreign accomplices?

Ojo: Depending on the nature of the criminal activities, it will notbe surprising that there are local accomplices aiding and abettingsome of these people. Criminal intent is not solely a Nigerian diseasebut a human problem all over the world. What makes it easier today isthe advent of the new media, where you can be in a remote village inNigeria and with a simple access to Facebook or dating sites, you areable to reach out to millions of people in different countries aroundthe world.

SR: How does this affect the perception of Nigeria in the comity of nations?

Ojo: There are so many problems plaguing Nigeria and this is just oneof many. Our incompetent leaders and their activities and stealingfrom the Nigeria coffers, affect the perception of Nigeria in thecomity of nations. The unachieved potential of once a giant of Africaaffects us and how others see us. The activities of fraudsters arejust one of many issues plaguing Nigeria today. We need a totaloverhaul of the Nigeria socio-political and economic infrastructuresto enable Nigeria-oriented policy initiatives. Many see Nigeria merelyfrom the perspectives of their ethnic origin thereby creating tensionwithin the Nigerian political leadership. And until this process isreversed and the government actually governs, people or other nations'perception of Nigeria will never change.

Ebenezer Adejumola, the prime suspect in the murder of Oluwaseun Ajila, a 20-year-old model, who was raped to death in Akure, Ondo State, has been released from prison custody, Sahara Reporters can confirm.

Adejumola was acquitted and freed from Olokuta Medium Prison in Akure where he was remanded last year for allegedly killing the young lady.

A court document sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday revealed that Adejumola was interrogated and investigated by the police over the murder before he was sent to prison custody.

Ajila was allegedly raped to death on October 4, 2018 inside her mother’s apartment at Mary Labake Street off Ijoka Road in the Abusoro area of Akure, the state capital.

A graduate of Biological Science at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Ajila was the only child of her 60-year-old mother, Mrs Yemisi Ajayi, before her death.

Following her alleged rape and murder, Adejumola was arraigned at the Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Akure on October 22, 2018 on a two-count charge.
Oluwaseun Ajila
SaharaReporters Media

In her ruling, Magistrate B. Yakubu had ordered the suspect to be remanded at Olokuta Medium Prison in Akure and adjourned the case to January 22, 2019 pending advice from Department of Public Prosecution.

That was the last heard about the case until Sahara Reporters discovered on Wednesday that the suspect had been released from prison.

The document sighted in by Sahara Reporters showed that Adejumola was freed in March 2019 based on the recommendations of the DPP.

The document revealed that Ajila’s murder was firstly reported at the ‘B Division’ of the Ondo State Police Command but later transferred to the State Criminal investigation Department for proper investigation.

A source at Ondo State High Court however, said that the freedom of Adejumola remained questionable as his file at the Ondo State Ministry of Justice read “No Case To Answer”.

When contacted on the case, spokesperson for the police in Ondo, Femi Joseph, said he was not aware that the suspect had been released from prison custody.

He said, “I am not aware that the suspect had been released from prison custody.

“I remembered that we charged him to court and he was later remanded judging by the evidences we presented.

“Well, if such a person has been released, it doesn’t foreclose our investigations. We will still continue to investigate the case and it would require us digging deep by looking for other ways in arresting those who might have been behind this dastardly act.

“Criminal cases can last till anytime but when it happen like this, it help us in unravelling the mystery that might have been behind such.”

Senator Elisha Abbo will know his fate on Thursday, according the Adamawa State National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.

Abbo, who gained prominence for assaulting a woman in a sex toy shop in Abuja, was dragged to the tribunal by a female politician, Senator Binta Garba.

Abbo of the Peoples Democratic Party, defeated Binta of the All Progressives Congress during the election earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, the tribunal delivered three judgements on Wednesday, two of which were in favour of the PDP.

While a former chairman of House or Representative Committee on Information, Abdulrazak Namdas (APC), had his mandate affirmed, Senator Binos Yaroe (PDP), had his victory sealed as a petition filed by his opponent was dismissed.

The tribunal also dismissed two petitions challenging the victory of Abdulrazak Namdas (APC) and Kwamoti La'ori (PDP).

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has asked a Senior Magistrate Court in Abuja to grant an order for the remand of the National Coordinator, Federal Civil Service Staff with Disabilities Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Iliasu Abdul-Rauf, in prison custody over his alleged involvement in N1.7BN fraud.

In a statement signed by the spokesperson of ICPC, Rasheedat Okoduwa, on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency also accused Abdul-Rauf of abducting 14 females between the ages of 11 and 33 years at his residence during a search by operatives of the commission.

Abdul-Rauf is currently on the wanted list published on the website of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission demanding for information concerning HIS whereabouts.

He was accused of allegedly collecting N1.7BN under the guise of awarding contracts for the establishment of rehabilitation centres in the states of the Federation.

According to the statement, the ICPC said Abdul-Rauf is currently under arrest by the commission for alleged involvement in multiple corrupt acts, including bribery, breach of trust, criminal misappropriation and other frauds running into hundreds of millions of naira.

The agency said he allegedly used his position to scam contractors into donating cash and items such as wheelchairs, crutches for persons living with disabilities.

The statement added, “The ICPC hereby uses this opportunity to urge contractors and businessmen to always verify the genuineness and authenticity of contracts offered or proposed to them with relevant government agencies in order not to fall victim of fraudsters like Abdul-Rauf.”

A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa, the capital, has granted an interim order restraining the All Progressives Congress from adopting direct primary for the rescheduled August 31 governorship primary.

Justice E. G. Omukoro granted the order upon hearing a motion ex-parte, according to a report by PUNCH.

The Nigerian Government has accused leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, of planning to turn Nigeria into an Islamic country.

The government made the claim in a counter-affidavit deposed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Enyinnaya Adiogu, in Abuja.

The court document also stated that the IMN members do not recognise the authority of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The affidavit reads, “That from history and facts available, the Islamic Movement IN Nigeria founded by El-Zakzaky has its sole aim of creating an Islamic state.

“That Sheik El-Zakzaky was heavily influenced by the Iranian revolution, which saw Ayatollah Khomeini take power in 1979 after the overthrow of the Shah in a popular uprising.

“Khomeini remains the Islamic Movement in Nigeria’s main inspiration.

“That members of IMN first pledge allegiance to Khomeini at their gatherings, and then to their local leader, Sheikh Zakzaky.

“The IMN views itself as a government, and Sheikh Zakzaky as the only legitimate source of authority in Nigeria and it does not recognise the authority of the Nigerian Government, and views its leaders both Muslims and Christians as corrupt and ungodly.

“That till date, Sheikh El-Zakzaky enjoys the support of Iran in all the activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, including the agenda to make Nigeria an Islamic state.”

IMN is challenging its proscription by a court in July – a development that led to massive protests and clash between members and security agencies.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Ilorin, Kwara State, has arrested three lawyers allegedly involved in defrauding a pastor of his property worth N20m.

The pastor, Adetunji Adedoyin, was duped when the suspects – Salman Rafiu, Sulyman Abaya and Saka Hammed – obtained a court order fraudulently and sold his property without his permission.

According to The Nation, Adedoyin claimed that the lawyers never gave him the chance to defend himself in the legal proceedings they instituted against him.

He said, “I was informed that I was served summons all through the court proceedings whereas it was Salman who picked and arranged his colleagues, Abaya Sulyman and Saka Hammed, to stand for me and these lawyers forged my signature on some documents purporting to consent in court to the sale of my hostel.

“The truth of the matter is, I never set my eyes on these people prior to or during the court proceedings, neither did I participate directly or indirectly in the proceedings. I also was not aware of the proceedings from the beginning to the end.

“Earlier in 2016, after seeking advice on what to do, I engaged a lawyer, Victor Okojie, in Ilorin to pursue justice for me because all attempts I made failed.

“Okojie later linked me up with the buyer Na’ Allah and the buyer’s lawyer, Ayodele Olarewaju, felt my pain and explained that he had spent about N12.5m for the acquisition of my property.

“He said he was willing to release it only if I can pay back the money.

“The hostel was taken over again in March 2019 by the alleged buyer through his lawyer on the grounds that I have not paid the outstanding balance.”

However, a source in the EFCC said other people involved in the fraudulent act will be arrested.

The Rivers State Government has kept mum over requests sent to it under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act to explain why certain projects under Governor Nyesom Wike have remained abandoned.

This is despite a 2018 ruling by the Court of Appeal mandating all states of the federation to reply all FOI’s sent to them.

The Anti-corruption Network, a coalition of civil society organisations investigating abandoned projects in the Niger Delta, had in letters dated June 27 2019, made FOI requests to the offices of the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Auditor-General and the Accountant-General in Rivers.

The coalition says it received no response after waiting for the mandatory seven days as stipulated by section 4 of the act.

Following the long silence from all three departments, the CSO sent a reminder to them on July 25 2019.

But instead of responding, Simeon Nwakudu, one of Governor Wike’s Special Advisers, said that the administration doesn’t flout FOI requests, adding that all those sending such were agents of the All Progressives Party.

Attempts to make him speak further by our correspondent proved abortive as he soon dropped the call.

Nigerians have condemned the appointment of Bashir Magashi as Minister of Defence despite his involvement in the stealing of $550, 000 public funds in 2006, according to a report by Premium Times.

Magashi, 74, a close friend of former military dictator, Sani Abacha, served as a military governor of Sokoto State from 1990–1992.

He was also appointed Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna in 1998.

Magashi’s improprieties was exposed in 1999 after then President, Olusegun Obasanjo, hired a Swiss lawyer, Enrico Monfrini, to track and repatriate funds stolen from Nigerian coffers.

Monfrini discovered Magashi had stashed away stolen funds at the Jessey, United Kingdom, branch of Bank PNP Paribus. The account had $550,000 (about N200m at N362 to a dollar).

On October 26, 2006, the National Security Adviser via memo NSA/A/225/I/C, updated Obasanjo on the cases of Magashi and four others.

The account (held for Magashi) has a total deposit of $550,000 and it remained intact until it was frozen in 2001.

The NSA confronted Magashi, who admitted wrongdoing, saying the money was a proceed of illegal crude oil allocation Abacha made to members of the Provisional Ruling Council under his government.

The officer was not a registered oil trader at the time and being a public servant, it was illegal for him to directly engage in private businesses.

Reacting to the development on Wednesday, some Nigerians on Twitter condemned the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for selecting Magashi as minister.

According to @Dann_10, “When those in public offices have alleged criminal records or hidden secrets home and abroad, expect the international community to view your country as one being led by unworthy people that can't be trusted.

“The image of the country is dented not only by fraudsters, also by these fellas."

The Take It Back Movement has described the failure of Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to hear the motion presented by its convener, Omoyele Sowore, on Wednesday over his arrest and continued detention by the Department of State Service, as an indication of confusion.

Sowore, who was arrested by the DSS in Lagos on August 3 and had been held since that time, filed a motion challenging an ex-parte order granting the secret police 45 days to keep him pending investigations into his involvement in alleged terrorism.

Through #RevolutionNow movement, the pro-democracy activist had called on Nigerians to pour out to the streets on August 5 to protest bad leadership in the country.

Despite his arrest by the DSS two days to the planned march, Nigerians took to the streets in about 21 cities across the country to express their frustration at the current state of the nation.

Reacting to the situation in a statement by its Director-General, Dr Joshua Adeoye, Take it Back Movement said, “Today, we saw the Nigerian judicial system plunge to new depths of justice evasion and surrender to governmental influence as the hearing brought by Omoyele Sowore and his lawyers challenging his unlawful detention by the DSS was negated by the judge, Hon. Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha, who shamelessly argued that she was unable to overturn the ruling of a “learned brother” despite all of the multiple precedents and the rules of court empowering her to do so.

“This faltering inability to rule decisively on a case is not a trait that typically characterises Justice Maha.

“We know, for example, that she rapidly granted a motion ex-parte in a case at the Federal High Court to stop the trial of Justice Walter Onnoghen in his corruption ordeal earlier this year.

“Her ruling served to restrain the Code of Conduct Tribunal from proceeding to hear the charge against Onnoghen, her very close friend and one-time boss, even when overwhelming evidence indicated he had a case to answer.

“It is therefore, not immediately clear whether her jurisdiction ends with friendships and alliances.

“It is also worth noting that the counsel to the DSS did not challenge the powers of the judge to hear Omoyele Sowore’s motion. He only asked for time to study the processes, claiming they had only just been received.

“Mr Femi Falana even reminded the court of the pattern of preferential treatment being meted out to the DSS by the judiciary so far.

“Justice Taiwo Taiwo who had referred the case to her, had granted audience to the DSS within 48 hours of receiving their counter-motion but neglected to reassign Sowore’s case to Justice Maha till August 27, 18 days after Sowore filed his appeal on August 9.

“Sadly, all these facts were ignored as she steam-rolled to her obviously pre-meditated ruling.

“To cap it all, she even denied Mr Falana the opportunity to orally apply for the bail of his client, allowed under the same terrorism act that the DSS wrongly relied upon to abduct and illegally detain Sowore.

“In any court in the world, the submissions of Sowore’s erudite legal team would have already highlighted the clear-cut pattern of human right violations he has suffered at the hands of the Nigerian Government and its private army, the Department of State Services; and he would be walking free as we speak.

“But this is Nigeria, the law is not absolute; it is merely a tool for the powers that be.

“There can only be one summary of the charade that was witnessed in court today – a high court judge declined to hear an appeal, claiming she did not have the jurisdiction to hear a high court case presented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria because for her, the consequence of falling afoul of her paymasters would have been higher than her sworn oath to obey the law.

“Today is consequently, a sad day for justice anywhere that word has meaning.

“But the Take it Back Movement remains undeterred. We will not relent until we secure unconditional, unrestricted freedom for Sowore.

“There is work to be done in this nation, and the man who has become a beacon of hope to many cannot be left to languish in detention.

“Nigerian leaders must realise that it is no longer business as usual, and that, you cannot kill an idea whose time has come.”

A player with Enyimba Football Club of Aba, Stephen Chukwude, was on Monday harassed by some policemen for driving a Mercedes Benz car, according to a report by PUNCH.

Chukwude took to his Facebook page to record the conversations between him and the policemen, who accused him of being a ‘Yahoo boy’.

He further said that despite identifying himself as a professional footballer, his car was searched by the security personnel, who insisted on taking him to the police station for interrogation.

While in the car, Chukwude asked one of the policemen why they were adamant in taking him to their station despite telling them he was on his way to the hospital to see a doctor, but rather than give a cogent reason, the officer answered and said, “I suspect you to be a yahoo boy.”

Not willing to give in to their antics, the footballer again asked the policemen if it was everyone driving a Mercedez Benz that was an Internet fraudster, the same officer answered and said, “Yes, it is everybody.”

However, upon noticing that Chukwude was recording the incident on his mobile phone, one of the policemen made an attempt to seize it from him.

The Nigerian Government has reduced the amount payable by citizens of the United States seeking visas into the country.

This was disclosed in a statement released by Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement reads, “The attention of the Ministry of Interior has been drawn to the introduction of reciprocity of visa fees by the United States of America.

"The ministry acknowledges that there were engagements with the United States Embassy on the issue and in the aftermath, a committee was set up to conduct due diligence in line with the ministry’s extant policy on reciprocity of visa fees.

“The committee had concluded its assignment and submitted a report but the issuance of authorisation for its recommendations was delayed due to transition processes in the ministry at the policy level.

“The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has approved the decrease of visa charges payable by US citizens in line with reciprocity policy as recommended by the committee.

“Accordingly, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, has been directed to implement the decrease in Nigeria’s visa charges to US citizens with effect from Thursday, August 29, 2019.”

The move comes 24 hours after US authorities increased the cost of visa application for Nigerians.